President Tran Duc Luong meets with Brazilian president Luis Inacio Lula da Silva in Brazil. — VNA/VNS Nguyen Khang

Viet Nam, Brazil work to strengthen relationship

Ha Noi — President Tran Duc Luong and Brazilian President Luis Inacio da Silva voiced their determination during a meeting in Brazil on Wednesday to further expand bilateral co-operation especially regarding trade, science, technology and investment.

Luong arrived in Brazil on Monday and finished his visit there Wednesday.

The two leaders commended the recent developments in bilateral relations, but were not satisfied with the modest trade exchange between the two countries.

They agreed upon a number of concrete measures to boost economic ties, including farming

and husbandry technology transfers, farm produce processing, scientific research in agriculture, machinery manufacturing, and ethanol production.

They also agreed to strengthen co-ordination and co-operation in multilateral forums, the UN, and between ASEAN, Mercosur and the Forum for East Asia and Latin America Co-operation (FEALAC).

They stressed the need to reform the UN, including the UN Security Council, to safeguard the principle of democracy and equality among all UN members and to enhance the UN’s role in promoting solidarity among nations.

Da Silva voiced his support for Viet Nam’s bid for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2008-09 term.

After talks, the presidents witnessed the signing of notes on the abolition of visa requirements for diplomatic passport holders from both countries.

They also witnessed the signing of a reciprocal Most-Favoured Nation agreement between Viet Nam and Brazil, which will expire when Viet Nam officially joins the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Also on this occasion, Viet Nam and Brazil concluded bilateral negotiations on Viet Nam’s accession to the WTO.

The same day, Luong held separate meetings with President of the Brazilian Federal Senate Jose Sarney, President of the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies Joao Paulo Cunha, and Chief Justice of the Brazilian Supreme Court Nelson Jobim.

Earlier, Luong visited the state of Sao Paulo and joined Vice Governor Claudia Lembo at the Viet Nam Brazil business forum.

Just before Luong left Brazil, he and da Silva issued a joint communique between Vietnam and Brazil expressing the two countries’ satisfaction that bilateral trade between the two countries has increased in the last four years.

They attached great importance to the need for further trade expansion, and welcomed the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Confederacao Nacional de Industria and the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The communique also expressed the willingness of the presidents to co-operate in the health sector, particularly in the field of STDs and AIDS.

Both leaders agreed that it is of great importance to enhance the credibility of multilateral institutions, especially of the UN and the Security Council. They shared the view that the world body should more strongly confront the tasks of development and the fight against hunger and poverty.

A more comprehensive reform of the UN should include not only the Security Council, but also the General Assembly, the ECOSOC and the Secretariat. — VNS